Old Westbury and New York, N.Y. (October 13, 2011) – Challenging faculty to "imagine, design, and create," NYIT Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rahmat Shoureshi, Ph.D., emphasized in conferences this week the value of high-quality teaching at NYIT and research with real-world applications.

Shoureshi, who joined NYIT in August, shared ideas and celebrated faculty scholarship and achievement at the faculty/provost conferences he initiated at both New York campuses.

“Research and scholarship improves what we deliver in the classroom,” said Shoureshi, who spoke to a combined audience of about 200.

He urged faculty members to “stimulate a culture of creativity and innovation,” while stressing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and scholarship. Shoureshi said he hoped to explore – with faculty input – the idea of new NYIT centers focused on quality of life enhancements, energy and power, industrial design, and other areas.

He also asked the faculty to seek more opportunities for undergraduate and graduate research, collaborations with global faculty, and partnerships with public and private sectors, including other universities.

Improvements to NYIT’s research achievements will require junior and senior faculty members to work together “to get the innovation and creativity engine rolling,” Shoureshi said.

About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in more than 90 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has more than 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, 89,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.